The End of the Episode
by DnKS-giRLs
Summary: An AtoFuji fic with mention of TezuFuji and onesided TezuAto. And so as one Tezuka Kunimitsu has brought them together, he too shall bring their separation. It's not a break up scene, it's just the end on an episode.


Title: The End of the Episode

Author: DnKS-giRLs

Rating: PG

Pairing: TezuAtoFuji… not exactly in that order…

Disclaimers: Ours? Never… though we might hope but the world is cruel… bah!

Warning: This fic is made only to satisfy the authors' need of sap, so beware!

Never did in his life Atobe Keigo think that he was one very lucky person to be Fuji Shuusuke's lover. And he too never thought that Fuji was one fortunate person to be his boyfriend. People might see them in envy for there was uncountable amount of boys and girls who would give anything to be in their shoes. He noticed how they would draw many eyes to their direction as they passed on a crowded street, hand in hand. He noticed how there would always be some looks of jealousy whenever he smiled at his boyfriend, and even more when Fuji smiled back at him. But never did he find himself lucky because of it.

Nonetheless, he was proud of it.

And he knew the same also went on Fuji's case. Their relationship was not based on something like stupid crush. Their relationship was not based on something like total devotion and worship. Their relationship was only based on something called convenience and trust. That was all from the beginning, when they just began their relationship. And that was all in the end, when they decided to end it. Though maybe to give it more justice, he should say when he decided to end it.

If someone were to ask him why did he decide to end his relationship with Fuji that time, he would tell the one that actually, in all honesty, there was no reason. It was just as if he had known from the very beginning when to end that relationship he had with his Fuji Shuusuke like how he knew when to launch his final attack in a match.

Their relationship was nowhere near bad, but he knew there was something amiss. It was simply not working. But still, he doubted it was enough of a reason to say goodbye to his beautiful boyfriend he cherished so dear. And in the end, when he thought much about it, he still thought there was no reason at all. He just knew that it was not working, though why could he think like that was still a mystery to him.

"Let's stop this," he said to Fuji when they were seated side by side on the bench of a nearby park.

He saw Fuji's eyes blinking then a sigh came from those lips he had so often claimed as his. He traced a look of sadness and hopelessness on his companion's face, but there was also relief as if he had expected it from the very start.

"I knew that you would sooner or later say that," Fuji said with a smile. "But why now?"

"Truthfully speaking, I don't know," he said. "Maybe it's just my…"

A laugh came from Fuji's lips as he tilted his face and stared at him with his smiling eyes, "Insight?"

He smiled back at him and said, "Insight, indeed…"

"Maa…" Fuji said. He saw the boy exhaling a breath which soon turned to be white mist in the air. That night was rather cold, but neither of them saw the need to change their position or move to a somewhat warmer place.

"This doesn't look like a break up scene at all," Fuji chuckled. "I mean… where are the tears, the sadness, and all?"

"Considering how we got together, don't you think it's just the perfect way to end it?" he retorted back.

"This just proves what an insensitive bastard you are."

"And this also proves what a demanding guy you are."

"Hypocrite!" Fuji accused him and that word silenced him from whatever thing he wanted to say. He snorted and thought what a true statement that was.

The night wore on. The darkness deepened and it was getting colder, as he observed. He did not know why but suddenly there came a certain memory to his mind. Remembering it once again, he chuckled.

"Do you remember how we got together?" he asked Fuji. His companion had his brow furrowed a little at his question but nodded nonetheless.

"It was raining two years ago, and we were stuck in our campus' library," Fuji said with a ghost of a smile playing on his lips and he watched him in pleasure. There was a small fire lit in those blue eyes that he always found enchanting. It was as if Fuji got happy just by reciting that somewhat sweet memory ever happened between them.

"It was raining for hours and we got really bored," Fuji continued with a laugh. "We spoke of nothing in particular, tennis, crazy lecturers, but after more than two hours passed we had nothing more to be spoken of. Then suddenly you just asked me to go out with you out of nowhere."

"But you agreed," he courted.

"Yes, and I don't feel any regret because that time I agreed," Fuji said before turning his face to meet his and smiled that bittersweet smile of his. "I'm sorry, though."

"Why?" he inquired.

"I don't know, I just felt like I've lead you astray. I mean… you're so good and nice and I like you a lot, but… it just…"

"It just doesn't work," he finished Fuji's sentence. "Am I right?"

"Something like that," Fuji sighed. "I've tried, you've tried, but it doesn't work."

He was silent for a while after Fuji finished saying his sentence. He knew that they both had tried to make their relationship work. But somehow, they both knew that it wouldn't ever work. They were happy with each other, content in each other's presence, and they even had great chemistry between them - it was apparent on those times they spent together, but still, it didn't work.

"Seems ironic, eh?" he said. "We did well as friends, as rivals, both in and outside the court, we even did well as enemies, but we cannot work out as lovers…"

"Enemies…" Fuji stared dreamily. "You mean back then when you almost crushed Tezuka's shoulder and I swore to beat you?"

"The very same," he smirked. "You were rather scary back then, you know?"

"Hey, I could not help it. You almost destroyed my crush's future. If I did not get angry then it would have been strange," Fuji debated. "And that brings us to another thing: Tezuka Kunimitsu."

He snorted, "Ah, yes, that proud prince who has captured and destroyed many hearts without his knowing."

"Including us," Fuji said.

"Including us," he agreed. "He's a true heartbreaker, isn't he? Even people like us could get captured by his charm."

"So true," Fuji said, still with his smile. "Maybe that's the thing that brought us together, ne? We both were helplessly in love with the amazing Tezuka Kunimitsu."

"I _was_ in love with him, but you _are_ in love with him until now," he retorted. "And so as he has brought us together, he too shall bring our separation."

At first he thought that Fuji would not give any retort to his statement, given the fact that the boy kept silent after he had said his words. But a soft whisper proved him wrong in his assumption.

"I can't," Fuji said.

"Why?"

He saw Fuji biting his lower lip, "He doesn't love me."

"No, he just said he could not go out with you back then when you confessed to him in your ninth grade. You cannot say for sure if his feeling toward you remained unchanged through these… what… four… five years?" he said. "Shuusuke, I know you want him and I can see your future with him, the future that we cannot have. So go for him. He can give you what I cannot give and I only wish your happiness."

A laugh that came from Fuji's lips sounded so merry in his ears. He only smirked as he felt Fuji laid his head on his shoulder, still laughing hard. He kept smirking as he felt Fuji's fist landed softly on his chest.

"You're still such a sap," Fuji said. "Got carried away by your role again?"

"Well, you might guess," he said. "And anyway, it's not my fault that they always assign me the role of idiotically romantic man in every play I acted in."

"It's still your fault. Who can guess that the oh-so-mighty Atobe Keigo would take a liking to the idea of performing on stage?" Fuji snorted.

"But what I've said is true," he put his palm on top of Fuji's head. "I know you still love him, Shuusuke, and I have no grudge against it. Let's end this right here, right now, before it comes to a point of regret to both of us."

"I love him, yes…" he heard Fuji say. "But I love you too."

"That's natural…"

"Most people would find it insulting, though."

"Excuse me, but I always think of myself as more than normal people." He said with mock sneer.

Fuji laughed, "Sorry, I forgot."

Seeing that laughing face, he realized that after that he could no longer have the privilege to claim that face as his and his alone. Without premonition he had already found his arms around Fuji's body, embracing him so tight. He could feel Fuji returning the embrace and for a long time they were both just doing that, embracing each other on that stiff bench in that cold night.

"I'll miss you for sure," he heard Fuji say. "Especially that higher-than-thou attitude you always show."

"Same here," he said, releasing his embrace. He could glimpse sparkles of tears in Fuji's eyes but he knew the boy would never cry in front of him. After all, there was nothing for them to cry over; it was just something natural. It was just the end of the episode when their acts were ended and after that, the curtain.

"Now, I think I deserve a farewell kiss," Fuji said as he held his face up, expecting a kiss which he soon gave him. They kissed long and fine, minding not about anything. And when the kiss ended, he walked Fuji home just like usual, but they both knew that there was something amiss from their world. The bond had been severed.

Months after that, he sometimes still replayed the event that took place that night in his mind. He remembered every word, every detail, though he could not understand why he was so intent in remembering them. He had no regret; just like with the time he began his relationship with Fuji, he too had no regret of ending it. His decision had been right, he thought as some weeks after their break up Fuji called him only to tell him in a somewhat timid voice that he had got together with his dream lover, Tezuka Kunimitsu. His decision had been right, he thought as he one day caught a glimpse of the two of them walking on the crowded pavement, hand in hand. His decision had been right, he thought as he saw Fuji's smile and Tezuka's gaze.

Yes, he thought finally, his decision had been right. There was nothing more for him to do. His curtains were now all drawn and he was uncomplainingly waiting for his next performance.

- the end -

(A/N: told you it's sap… but even sap needs love, so please do review (smile) you know you want to review this fic, right...?)


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